Saturday, February 27, 2016 1:00 p.m.
Knapp Center, Des Moines, Iowa

Back on Jan. 23, Loyola defeated Drake in Chicago, 68-63, behind 17 points from Montel James. Milton Doyle added 13 points for the Ramblers, and Loyola’s defense held Drake’s leading scorers Reed Timmer and Kale Abrahamson well below their averages of 16.9 and 11.5 ppg respectively. Chicago native and St. Viator product Ore Arogundade led the Bulldogs with 12 points in a homecoming to Northeastern Illinois.

The Bulldogs, losers of their last seven in a row and 20 of their last 22 games, aren’t nearly as bad as their record indicates. Usually when a team has that many losses strung together, they get blown out routinely. Yet Drake has been within six points in losses to Iowa, DePaul, Illinois State, SIU, Loyola, Evansville, and Bradley. According to kenpom.com, Drake is ranked a respectable 184 on adjusted offense. The problem is their defense, which is 332nd of 351 teams. If the Ramblers want a shot at 6th or 7th place in the Arch Madness standings they must win on the road as Drake bids farewell to one senior. If Missouri State and Indiana State both lose and Loyola wins, the Ramblers will avoid Thursday.

Coach Ray Giacoletti starts Timmer and Arogundade at guard; 7-footer Dominik Olejniczak at center; and Abrahamson and Casey Schlatter at forward. Junior center Jacob Enevold has been resting or playing few minutes off the bench for the past several games. Also coming off the bench are 6’1” sophomore guard Graham Woodward (10.7 ppg), 6’6” freshman forward Billy Wampler, sophomore guard C.J. Rivers, and the team’s only senior, Karl Madison.

Drake leads the MVC in three point shooting percentage(.389), and Woodward, Timmer, and Wampler each hit on better than 40% of their long distance shots. Enevold, Abrahamson, and the long and quick guard Arogundade each average more than 4.0 rebounds per game, and Olejniczak is just behind at 3.8, so the Bulldogs usually hold their own on the boards. Where Drake falters is on turnover ratio-- second worst in the league—and field goal percentage defense, three point percentage defense, and steals, where they’re dead last in each category.

According to teamrankings.com, the Ramblers have a 13.7% long shot of threading the needle and making it to 6th place. In order to do so, SIU has to beat Missouri State in Carbondale and—here’s the really tough one-- Indiana State has to lose its 7th in a row at home on senior day against the second worst team in the league. That site gives Missouri State a 54.1% chance at 6th, and Indiana State 32.2%.

Loyola game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy ... 226aaa.pdf

Drake game notes: Pending

TV/Streaming video: ESPN3

Vegas odds: Ramblers by 2.5

Hey gang !! Its time to get up--ITS GAME DAY !!!

--We are some 2 1/2 point favorites. By all accounts , it appears we shall win by more--Turk will be blazing and an added surprise--EARL!!-- This time Montel has only a seven footer to defeat !! With Milton driving and dishing PLUS holding on to the ball-I hope-WE shall do just fine.

OK, the Dogs are home--Senior day etc BUT we ARE a BETTER team and I suspect we shall go all out early.

Any thoughts ??

You mention Earl? know something here?

Earl and Tyson are out.

*Moved these posts to the game thread to consolidate.

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OOPS My Bad--I meant Richardson rather than Earl--Doofus , me !!!

Exciting so far!! I was reading the Drake message board, and I feel sorry for those guys. They're not angry, disgusted, frustrated or defiant..... the best word do describe their mood about their team is SAD. Hope they get it together next year.

Sometimes I wish Donte would stop shooting threes.

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I do enjoy listening to Adam Emmenecker.... I learn a lot each time I listen to his commentaries on the MVC site or his color commentary.

Our women's team just got slaughtered at Drake last night, so I hope we can get our win here today. Indiana State killing Bradley early in the game, 12-3.

Meanwhile, we can't... or don't feel like... expending the effort to open up a lead on these guys.

Timmer gets away with everything that was supposed to be emphasized offensively. Push offs, embellishing contact, initiating contact on shot fakes. It's really annoying.

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Looks like a win gets us 7th v.s. Drake and a loss gets us 8th v.s. Bradley.

Friday matchup v.s. Illinois St. or Evansville.